The wildlife legacy that Lawrence has left us all

by Paul Cormacain

DID I say that the Lisburn RSPB has been on the go for 25 years ?

One of the leading lights who played a major role at that time was
Lawrence Adams, sadly no longer with us, but a man who had a great love
for wildlife. Thanks to Lawrence, a Wildlife Garden has just been opened
at Port Mor Lough Nature Reserve.

The thinking behind a wildlife garden is that a small area is more
attractive to wildlife, especially birds, when no poisonous materials are
used, and weeds as well as flowers are allowed to grow without constraint.

The thistle heads I saw, for example, will soon be visited by charms of
goldfinches, and they will thrive, both the thistles and the birds, and
the human visitors will be delighted.

Gardeners would love to have goldfinches visiting their gardens
regularly, but not many gardeners would encourage thistles.

In similar fashion, if we were brave enough to encourage nettles to
grow in our gardens it would result in much larger numbers of butterflies
visiting. But how many gardeners do you know who would settle for nettles?

Flowers

There arc sun flowers growing in the wildlife garden, but this is a
flower I would associate with France, not the delightful shores of Lough
Neagh or Port Mor. Then I remember seeing sunflowers recently in a Cedar
Avenue garden, and they must have been three metres high. Perhaps Lawrence
had suggested this, or again his widow or their two daughters may have
anticipated the beauty of these flowers.

After the official opening of the garden, performed bv David Trimble,
we went out to sample the many delights of Port Mor.

We saw a small frog not too long afterwards. It was out for a walk, and
we were out for a walk, when our paths crossed.

If that frog was about seven or eight months old it has not done much
growing, because it would not have been much smaller when it left the
water.

We always associate frogs with water, but this particular creature was
far from water, in the grass. But this is part of Nature's plan, for the
frog thrives away from water most of the year.

It will be about the New Year that the creatures will return to water,
to perform the annual ritual of propagation.

Then we will see frogs acting amorously, we will see frog spawn,
followed by tadpoles, and eventually young frogs.

Warden Eddie Franklin told of regular visits by large raptors,
buzzards, so we were happily on the lookout for this large bird. We saw
not a one of them , and they seemed to have decided to boycott the place
while we were there.

The sightings by Eddie bear testimony to the expansion of buzzards in
the country. The distribution maps which show that the buzzard only lives
on Rathlin Island, or that buzzards only live in a small area of
north-east Antrim, are now securely rendered obsolete.

Raptor

The great raptor has been thriving, and expanding its range, for years.
I have seen buzzards in all counties of northern Ireland, and have seen
some also across the border. Reports I get now tell us of the bird
spreading to the very south of Ireland.

I wrote about small tortoiseshell butterflies, and how we only saw one
at Leathamstown. It was a different story, as I predicted it would be, a
short time later. The short time later corresponded to our visit to Port
Mor, where there were loads of butterflies, including small
tortoiseshells.

I am sure that Lawrence would have been pleased. His efforts, and the
efforts of his family have helped us all to enjoy more butterflies than
usual.

The wildlife garden is a great encouragement to butterflies, and helps
explain why we saw so many small tortoiseshell, large, small and
green-veined whites, ringlets and speckled woods.

Coming Events

Saturday 6, Sunday 7 September - The justly famous Green Living
Fair is at Castle Espie and is always well worth a visit.

Sunday 7 September - The local Wildlife Trust works for the
conservation and preservation of local wildlife, and to raise awareness of
same. Taking this to a natural conclusion, you are cordially invited to
the Umbra nature reserve, to cut hay! Do your bit! Phone them on 4483 0282

Sunday 14 September - Are you up to a Newry Canal Cycle Ride, at
10am? Contact Oxford Island on 3832 2205

Monday 22 September - Lisburn RSPB will hear about the
Re-introduction of the Golden Eagle from Lorca O'Toole, the project
co-ordinator. Members and public are all warmly welcomed.